Apologies - It’s an urgent LFT question - So confused.

[Rowan10]

Sorry for posting in AIBU but was hoping for a quick response.

I’m aware I should probably know the answer to this already but looking at the government guidelines has confused me even more ! We’ve been extremely lucky and this is the first time there’s been any contact (knowingly anyway) with anyone who might be positive throughout the whole pandemic.

My Dd was out celebrating exam results last night. I picked her up and we had big hugs when she got in. This morning she has had a message from a friend she was sitting next to all evening, that they’ve had a positive LFT this morning so have booked a PCR for later today.

Dd has done a LFT and it’s negative. She’s supposed to be going into work at 10am (works in a pub) and I’m supposed to be visiting my Mum in her care home (first time in 3 weeks) this morning. We have to do a LFT when we get there.

The guidelines look as though they are saying you don’t have to isolate until the friend has had a positive PCR but is this right??

I so want to see my vulnerable mum but obviously wouldn’t do anything that might be a risk to her and Dd isn’t sure what to do about going in to work.

Please don’t get too cross if I’m being thick, just want to do whatever is the right thing to do.

[quote PotteringAlong]@PinkTonic no, you can now get a PCR test as a close contact, even without symptoms.[/quote]
She’s not a close contact unless her DD tests positive.

[quote PotteringAlong]@PinkTonic no, you can now get a PCR test as a close contact, even without symptoms.[/quote]
You can, but there's no point at all to having one if you haven't allowed time for the virus to incubate after contact with someone who is positive. It would be sensible to have one at some point between 2-5 days after direct contact, but before then is simply a waste of time.

In OP's case it would take at least two days for her DD to become positive and infectious, and if OP then caught it from her, another minimum of two days for her to test positive and be infectious.

Thank you again everyone. I’m still confused if I’m honest but I think I’m erring on the side of caution with Mum. I’ve decided it’s selfish to want to see mum as she’s got advanced dementia so the visit is more about me wanting to see her than a benefit to her.

I did wonder if DD’s work had got it right that she needed a PCR immediately, but apparently that is their policy now (Wetherspoon’s ).